Home   Contact Us                                                                    Dateline New Delhi, Thursday, Aug 11, 2005

 

 


Index Page                                                       Archive

 

Australian tourist Daniel Mountwhitten goes missing in Kullu

     Kullu: Himachal Pradesh police is hunting for an Australian tourist, who went missing from a trekking trip in the woods in the State last week. Police said they have launched helicopter operations to locate 23 year-old Daniel Mountwhitten, who was last seen in Manikaran region on August 2. Daniella, Mountwhitten's sister said he could have been trapped in the mountains during trekking. "There are two possibilities that could have happened. The first one I really think has happened is that he is stuck somewhere either in the mountains or in a river, and he needs to be rescued. And the other possibility is that something criminal has happened," she said. Police said they have circulated Mountwhitten's photograph and villagers have been roped in to know his whereabouts. "We have been hunting for him since 4th August. We are taking help of trekker dogs and have done an ariel recee also. Police teams are looking for him everywhere. From tomorrow onwards, we will give information about him on the local television channel," said Anand Pratap Singh, Superintendent of Police, Kullu. Police says the only lead they have is a local woman who says she saw a foreigner who looked like Whitten last week asking her for food. But they have ruled out a foul play as Mountwhitten was not carrying much money. According to police records, 15 foreigners have gone missing in Kullu valley, since 1992. While many are killed by locals for money or expensive watches and cameras, most of them seek solace from the outside world in cheap marijuana.

Chadar offered on behalf of PM, Sonia at Ajmer dargah (Go To Top)

     Ajmer: A 'chadar' or holy cloth was offered on behalf of Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and Congress President Sonia Gandhi at the mausoleum of Muslim saint Khwaja Moin-ud-din Chisti here today. Prithviraj Singh Chauhan, Minister in the Prime Minister's Office brought the holy sheet to the mausoleum on the 793rd "Urs" or death anniversary of the sufi (mystic) saint. Chauhan read out Singh's message that said Chisti was an apostle of peace and brotherhood. "It is a symbol of unity of our diversified country. The life of the saint was an example of tolerance and brotherhood in the entire country. His life history will always remain an example for the humanity," Singh's message said. "Urs", as the congregation is called in Urdu, marks the death anniversary of Moin-ud-din Chisti who is popularly called "Garib Nawaz", or the "messiah of the poor". An estimated million devotees from India and abroad visit the saint's shrine during the ceremony. The shrine also attracts devotees from India's arch foe Pakistan. Moin-ud-din Chisti is believed to have been born in 1142 AD. Since his ancestors belonged to a town named Chisti, people began calling him by that name. Chisti, who preached tolerance and unity of all religions, died in Ajmer where his tomb has become a shrine for millions of people. In 1236 AD, the saint entered his cell to pray in seclusion for six days, at the end of which he died. Since then Urs has been celebrated for six days every year. It is believed that praying at the tomb of the saint fulfils a person's wishes. Devotees visiting the shrine offer fresh flowers as a symbol of their devotion. Some even go up to the extent of offering large amounts of money and expensive jewels. Devotional music and reciting from Chishti's own works and other Sufi saints are presented in traditional Qawwali (chorus singing) style. The annual event culminates with readings from the holy Quran and special prayers.

Pakistan test fires N-cruise missile without informing India (Go To Top)

     Islamabad: Pakistan today successfully test fired the cruise missile Haft- VII 'Babar". The missile has been fired without informing India, and the stand taken by Pakistan is that the recent agreement reached between New Delhi and Islamabad over the week-end does not relate to pre-notification on tests of cruise missiles. "The agreement on pre-notification of ballistic missiles, which has been finalized does not cover pre-notification of Cruise Missile tests," The News quoted Pakistan Army spokesman Major General Shaukat Sultan as saying, adding, that Pakistan was not liable to inform India regarding the test firing of cruise missiles. The missile is capable of carrying all kinds of nuclear and conventional warheads and has a range of 500 kilometres. The Pakistan Army statement said that "the missile could avoid radar detection to penetrate hostile defensive systems 'with pinpoint accuracy', and was capable of being launched from ships, submarines and aircraft. General Shaukat said that Pakistan was the first ever country in the region to carry out a cruise missile test, adding that the successful test proved that Pakistan "had joined a select group of countries having capability to design and develop cruise missiles". Pakistan President General Pervez Musharraf has also described the test as a "major milestone" in the country's defence programme, said the statement. Premier Shaukat Aziz also sent in his congratulations for successfully conducting the missile test.

Greg Chappel not to attend captain's selection meeting (Go To Top)

     Mumbai: Coach Greg Chappell will not attend Friday's meeting to select the Indian captain for the team's forthcoming tour of Zimbabwe. "Chappell would not attend the meeting tomorrow to choose the captain, but he would be present at the selectors' meeting the next day to pick the rest of the squad members," Cricket Board Secretary S K Nair said. Nair also said that the BCCI had asked the Indian team's physio John Gloster to give an update on Sachin Tendulkar's fitness. Tendulkar underwent surgery in London for an elbow injury at the end of May and was ruled out of cricket for about 16 weeks.

Anju George clocks her best, but fails to get Helsinki medal (Go To Top)

     New Delhi: India's Anju Bobby George failed to win a medal at the IAAF World Championship in Helsinki on Wednesday night inspite of clocking a season best of 6.66m in the women's long jump final. George finished fifth in the event. According to the information received here, George recorded 6.66 in her very first attempt and followed it up 6.59, 6.57 and 6.51 before wasting the fifth attempt. In her last attempt, Anju, who had won bronze medal in 2003 World Championship in Paris -- leapt 6.56. American teenager Tianna Madison won the world women's long jump title with a personal best of 6.89 metres. Madison, 19, took the lead from Olympic bronze medallist Tatyana Kotova of Russia in the penultimate round. Kotova emerged second with 6.79 metres, while France's defending champion Eunice Barber emerged third with 6.76.

References: Sikh riots Nanavati report Manmohan Singh, Sajjan Kumar resigns, gangrape Delhi, Babbar Khalsa militants, Mumbai water-borne disease, Australian tourist Daniel Mountwhitten missing Kullu, Chadar PM Sonia Gandhi Ajmer Dargah, Pakistan test fires N-cruise missile, Greg Chappel captain's selection, Anju George Helsinki medal, Hogwarts Austrians Pottermania, Vince Vaughn Jennifer Aniston friend, Scarlett Johansson sex elevator, diet prostate cancer, blood sugar erectile dysfunction, Julia Roberts, India, India News, Newspaper, Indian, News, Travel News, India Travel Times, Travel,Tourism, Tour, Tourist, India, Times, News, Hotels, Airlines, Ayurveda, Yoga, Hindu, Taj Mahal, Cuisine, Festival, Temple, Trekking, Hindu, Bharatanatyam, Kathakali, Odissi, Dance, Shimla,Varanasi, Kullu, Manali, Dehra Dun, Mussourie, Mussoorie, Haridwar, Hardwar, Rishikesh, Nainital, Delhi, Goa, Kovalam, Darjeeling, Bodh Gaya, Kancheepuram, Kanchipuram, Thekkady, Badrinath, Amar Nath,Vaishno Devi, Tirupati, Sabarimala, Guruvayoor, Kanyakumari, Kodaikanal, Ooty, Chennai,

     Previous File                 Go To Top
Home    Contact Us
NOTE:  Free contributions of articles and reports may be sent to editor@indiatraveltimes.com
DISCLAIMER
All Rights Reserved ©indiatraveltimes.com